Course Summary

Haloperidol is a first-generation or typical antipsychotic. The typical antipsychotics are also called conventional antipsychotics, major tranquilizers, or neuroleptics. Haloperidol is used to treat the primary symptoms of psychosis, mood disorder, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, dementia and motor and verbal tics in patients with Tourette’s syndrome. Psychosis is typically characterized by agitation, delusions, hallucinations, and disorganization of thoughts, but the clinical presentation can vary. The three primary causes of psychosis are mental illness, substance-induced psychosis, and psychosis caused by medical or neurological conditions. Treatment for psychosis depends on the underlying cause. Antipsychotic drugs are often recommended to reduce the symptoms of agitation, delusions, and hallucinations and for patient safety.

Course Format

Homestudy

Course Syllabus

• Introduction
• Pharmacological Profile and Uses
  • Labeled and Off-labeled Uses
  • Available Forms and Dosing
  • Adverse Events
• Common Uses of Haloperidol: Psychosis, Schizophrenia and Tourette’s Syndrome
  • Haloperidol as a Treatment for Psychosis and Schizophrenia
  • Haloperidol as a Treatment for Tourette Syndrome
• Drug Warnings and Contraindications
  • Anticholinergic Effects
  • Orthostatic Hypotension
  • Cardiovascular
  • Central Nervous System
  • Endocrine System
  • Gastrointestinal and Hepatic
  • Hematologic
  • Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome
  • Hyperprolactinemia
  • Seizure Disorder
  • Venous Thromboembolism
  • Pregnancy and Breastfeeding
• Drug Withdrawal, Interaction and Overdose
• Case Study: Haloperidol Use During Pregnancy
  • Ethical Challenges of Antipsychotic Treatment During Pregnancy
• Summary

Author

Kellie Wilson, PharmD

Kellie Wilson is a Doctor of Pharmacy practicing in Anaconda, Montana, where she lives with her husband and four children. She attended the University of Montana in Missoula where she graduated in 2009 with a doctorate in pharmacy. She later worked in Boise, Idaho for a large, retail pharmacy for 2 years, and then returned home to Montana to oversee an independently owned retail and long-term care pharmacy in Anaconda. As an independent retail pharmacist she has become very involved in psychiatric pharmacy for two major behavioral health organizations that are located around all of Montana. Kellie’s passion is retail pharmacy because she enjoys the interactions with customers as well as the challenges and rewards of staying current with the continuous changes in the pharmacy field.